zulu.2683.yourlifeguide_career (2)
Entrepreneur of the month
Meet Mbongiseni Duma. He started working from home – now he employs a staff of 33 and has clients throughout Africa. He tells us about his company and shares some of his wisdom with us
You followed one of the basic rules when it comes to starting your own business – getting established and then expanding. Can you tell us how this came about?
■ I set up my company 13 years ago, working from home. I produced promotional material for companies – that is, putting logos on t-shirts, umbrellas, caps and so on. We were doing well – the only problem was the printing side of things. That often took a long time, making us miss deadlines. So I decided to buy my own machinery and start my own printing factory. Now we don’t have to rely on anyone else – and we can meet our deadlines.
But you’re not your only customer – is that right?
■ No. My competitors have become my clients. Because we understand their requirements – and the need for speed – we now have other promotional
companies bringing their stuff to us for printing. Our delivery time is
between three to five days, which is fast!
What made you enter the promotions industry?
■ I always knew I’d have my own business, because my father had his own business. After graduating from university I went to work for large fuel company, and part of my job was organising promotional material. After a while I felt I could do what I was doing at work on my own. I resigned and, using my savings, set up my company.
It took me two years before I could move from my home into a proper office – that was after getting a contract with one of the cellphone companies.
They say most successful black-owned companies rely on the government for business, but that’s a myth as far as I’m concerned. My main clients are in
the private sector. Only about 30% of my business comes from the government.
Your plans for the future… ?
■ We already supply companies in Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and
Angola – and by the end of the year, there is a strong likelihood that we will have offices in Ghana and Namibia.
Your advice to other entrepreneurs out there…?
■ Beware of taking all the credit. As you expand you will reach a point where you have to talk about “us” and “we”. In our company there are no job descriptions, everyone gets stuck in and we work as a team. [e]
Story: Nombuso Ncembe
YOUR CAREER
Beware of taking all the credit
Use PANELCPY!!!!!!!!!!!
